Sneak Thief Jailed Over Elderly Brighton Woman’s Purse Grab
A cold-hearted sneak thief who targeted an 86-year-old woman in a Brighton Aldi has been slammed with a one-year prison sentence. Jason King, 42, unemployed and from Heybourne Road, Brighton, was sentenced at Brighton Crown Court on 9 July for the shocking theft.
Vulnerable Granny Stalked and Robbed in Store
The frail pensioner, who suffered from a spine injury and walked with a stoop, was shopping in April 2018 when King followed her around the store for 10 minutes before stealing her purse.
Unaware of the theft until the checkout, the woman couldn’t pay for her shopping. CCTV footage reveals King rifling through her bag, pocketing her purse, then swapping it to grab her wallet filled with cash and cards. He even used her contactless cards in nearby shops.
Death and Distress Linked to Theft
The victim died less than two months later, officially from natural causes. But carers believe the trauma from the robbery left her anxious and housebound until her death.
Her family described the impact as devastating, with the elderly woman losing confidence and stopping all outings after the incident.
Thief Caught, Court Drama, and Final Justice
- King was caught when returning to the store months later and arrested in August 2018.
- He skipped his initial trial but was convicted anyway, thanks to irrefutable video evidence.
- His appeal dragged the victim’s daughter into identifying her mum on footage – an ordeal dismissed in July 2019.
- King again failed to show for court, citing a work injury, but was finally dragged before a judge on 9 July and locked up for 52 weeks.
“This was a very distressing case in which an elderly lady was ruthlessly taken advantage of by a despicable thief who gave no thought to the impact on his victim,” said Police Investigator Paul Dixon. “We and her family are very glad that justice has now been done in her memory.”
